April 2009This is a featured page

Canadian SH News Items from April 2009

Canada's Globe & Mail Calls for Quick School Closures for Swine Flu
Editorial May 1, 2009 Schools of incubation.Closing a school on the basis of a single confirmed case of swine flu is a strong but sensible approach to containing a disease that remains highly unpredictable. The United States has taken that approach, and more than 100 school districts have closed at least some schools; they are to remain closed for a week or more. Canada has no such policy. What is it that Canada knows that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control does not? ....more

Canadian and US Rates of Aggression Similar, Correlated with Home, Community & School Environments
From the Journal of School Health, April 2009
Social Environments and Physical Aggression Among 21,107 Students in the United States and Canada William Pickett, Ronald J. Iannotti, Bruce Simons-Morton, Suzanne Dostaler,
Students in grades 6-10 from the United States (n = 14,049) and Canada (n = 7058) who had participated in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey (HBSC) were studied. Rates of students' physical aggression were compared between the 2 countries. School, family, socioeconomic, and peer-related factors were considered as potential risk factors. A simple social environment risk score was developed using the US data and was subsequently tested in the Canadian sample.Results:Risks for physical aggression were consistently higher among United States versus Canadian students, but the magnitude of these differences was modest. The relative odds of physical aggression increased with reported environmental risk. To illustrate, US boys in grades 6-8 reporting the highest social environment risk score (5+) experienced a relative odds of physical aggression 4.02 (95% CI 2.7-5.9) times higher than those reporting the lowest score (adjusted OR for risk scores 0 through 5+ was 1.00, 1.19, 2.10, 2.01, 3.71, and 4.02, respectively, ptrend < .001).Conclusions:Unexpectedly, rates of physical aggression and associations between social environments and students' aggression were remarkably similar in Canada and the United States. Family, peer, and school social environments serve as risk or protective factors, with significant cumulative impact on physical aggression in both countries. Given the observed high rates and the many negative effects of aggression on long-term health, school policies aimed at the reduction of such behavior remain a clear priority.


PHAC and NCCMT Online Health Program Planner
The Online Health Program Planner, developed by The Health Communications Unit (THCU) and the National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, promoted by the Canadian Best Practices Initiative and linked to the Best Practices Portal, provides a useful and practical resource for public health practitioners across Canada who have responsibility for promoting and facilitating evidence-informed decision-making. The planner provides links to multiple sources of information, such as the CBPP, to help practitioners incorporate research and other evidence into program planning at the community and organizational level. It also strengthens partnerships and collaborations among community groups. The six-step approach to planning health promotion programs allows the user to enter information and make decisions based on the questions asked in each worksheet. The tool allows practitioners to set goals, establish their audiences, develop outcome objectives, choose strategies, select programs and resources, and develop process objectives and outcome indicators.

Hate Crime Investigation for School Fighting in NS
 A hate-crime investigator continues to probe the fight that led to the suspension of a 15-year-old Korean student at a high school in Keswick, Ont.The youth began his first day at a special centre for suspended students Thursday, still unsure whether the boy he says racially abused and then punched him will face charges.

Through the Eyes of a Child – First Nation Children’s Environmental Health
Developed by the Union of Ontario Indians, Anishinabek Health Secretariat with support from the Best Start Resource Centre, 2009.This manual looks at some of the environmental issues that are affecting First Nation children on and off reserve. The information provided is intended to support service providers in addressing the environmental health concerns of their clients in a manner that is culturally sensitive and strength based. The manual includes background information, the impact on First Nation children, information about First Nation initiatives, recommended strategies, and parent handouts.

Get Fit for Space
On the occasion of Canada's First Expedition mission, the Canadian Space Agency invites you to Get Fit For Space with Bob Thirsk. Run, walk, cycle, swim and prepare to blast off and reach new fitness heights with Canada's space program! Sign up for the challenge on the Canadian Space Agency website at www.space.gc.ca <http://www.space.gc.ca/> , and receive a Get Fit for Space pedometer. Enter your fitness data as often as you like. Feel great and get fit as you virtually leave Earth and travel the 340 km to the International Space Station where Bob Thirsk will meet you at the Airlock, invite you in and provide a personal tour of his off-world home. Celebrate this historic mission by joining Bob and Get Fit for Space, Canada!

Health Canada Funds Anti-Drug Counselling Project in Kitchener Waterloo
The Government of Canada is supporting a project under the Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund that will strengthen drug prevention and health promotion strategies for youth in Kitchener, Ontario. Stephen Woodworth, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Centre, made the announcement today on behalf of Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health.The High on Life Challenge project carried out by the Counselling Service at St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener is designed to reduce drug use among young people and engage high school and college age youth in healthy activities and lifestyles. The project will deliver High on Life curriculum to educational professionals in local high schools, colleges and universities, train school personnel and youth workers, and develop program materials and resources to support the High on Life Challenge program.

CCL Article on Mental Health & Schools
A barrier to learning: Mental health disorders among Canadian youth. Young people’s mental health represents a significant educational issue because of its impact on learning and because of the role that schools can play in promoting and maintaining the mental health of young people. This article looks at strategies that schools can implement to prevent and detect mental health disorders among young people. Go to article

Force kids to eat lunch at school, trustees told (Toronto Star)
Toronto task force aims to stop students buying junk food meals.Toronto middle schools and junior highs should make kids stay on school property at lunch to prevent them from wandering over to a mall or hot dog vendor and buying junk food, a task force recommends.But to do that, school cafeterias need a makeover – they must be brighter, more appealing and offer better food choices, says the report from the Toronto District School Board's nutrition task force.


National Collaborating Centre Releases OnLine Program Planning Tools
The NCC and the University of Toronto have developed several online planning tools, including:
16th Canadian Conference on International Health - Conference Registration
The 16th Canadian Conference on International Health is fast approaching, and is being held on October 25 - 28, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Ottawa, 101 Lyon St. N., Ottawa, ON, Canada. The theme this year is "Health Equity: Our Global Responsibility". The deadline for the early registration is September 10, 2009 and we encourage you to register as soon as possible. The deadline for the Call for Abstracts is May 11, 2009 and we encourage all those who would like to present a paper or poster to submit their abstract as soon as possible. Late submissions will not be accepted. Abstracts can be submitted in English or French. Please visit our website at http://www.csih.org/en/ccih/index.asp to register and for regular conference updates.

Menus at chain restaurants and school cafeterias should be required to list how many calories are found in the foods, a group of doctors in Ontario said Tuesday. "We know that they do have that information available; they have it on their websites, they have it on brochures," said Dr. Ken Arnold, president of the Ontario Medical Association. "We're simply asking that they would make that more readily available to consumers in the store, at the time of purchase."The group called for:
  • Restaurant leaders to label menus quickly and voluntarily.
  • The provincial government to enact legislation to require calories to be listed next to the price of items on menus and menu boards at large chain restaurants and school cafeterias across Ontario.
  • An education campaign to inform people about the impact of calorie intake on weight gain and obesity.

Sun Life Financial is helping to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle among students with its Investing in Our Future program. On Monday, April 6 the Toronto District School Board announced a further investment of $332,500 from Sun Life to continue the program. Begun in 2007 as a collaboration between the board and Sun Life, the program allows secondary schools to apply for grants of up to $2,500 to supplement existing fitness and nutrition programs or create initiatives that focus on a healthy lifestyle."Sun Life Financial is proud to be part of a program that is making a real difference in the health and well-being of our youth," said Dean Connor, president of Sun Life Financial Canada. Since its inception, Investing In Our Future grants have helped fund cooking clubs, yoga clubs, nutrition programs, lunchtime ping-pong tournaments and other activities. The Ministry of Education has also provided funding to all publicly funded schools in the province to help engage students in creating healthy schools. The TDSB plans to use these funds to provide an additional $1,000 to build on the Investing In Our Future grants. Combined, that means schools could potentially obtain up to $3,500. "Investing In Our Future grants offer secondary schools opportunities to provide students with healthy lifestyle choices that will last a lifetime," said Catherine Parsonage, senior manager of business development at the TDSB.Sun Life has provided more than $300,000 to Investing In Our Future in previous years. It recently expanded the program with a $100,000 investment to be shared between the Waterloo Region District School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

National Immunization Awareness Week
National Immunization Awareness Week is a cross-Canada event held annually during late April.This year's theme is "A Family Affair". NIAW is held in conjunction withVaccination Week in the Americas .National Infant Immunization Week (US) takes place from April 25-May 2, 2009 as well. European Immunization Week takes place from April 20-26, 2009.


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